The Victorian taxi industry’s most recent effort to take on ride-sharing competitor Uber has backfired after passengers turned a request for “positive taxi stories” into a social media tirade against cabs.

The Victorian Taxi Association’s (VTA) online campaign was launched in conjunction with an overhaul of its website and a competition to win free taxi rides for one year.

But the public’s response was sour as people hijacked the hashtags #YourTaxi and #taxiyourway, and recalled their horror taxi stories of unskilled, racist, rude and abusive drivers.

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The feedback was not restricted to Victoria, with stories and complaints flooding the official @yourtaxis account from across the country.

One post claimed to witness a taxi driver groping a female passenger, while some talked about being refused a short fare or having their belongings stolen by taxi drivers.

Another post said their driver had fallen asleep while they were on the freeway and “almost wiped out a car in next lane because he’d pulled an all-nighter”.

“Driver said he didn’t know where Flinders Street Station was and had me direct him there. Flinders. Street. Station,” said another.

Many said they now used ride-sharing service Uber instead.

Tell your taxi story! #YourTaxis#PeopleOfMelbourne#TaxiYourWay#Melbournepic.twitter.com/Ewsj3AeYlU

— yourtaxis (@yourtaxis) November 9, 2015

But not everyone was critical of the taxis, with one person writing: “Going to buck the trend as far as @yourtaxis is concerned. Took 2 cabs whilst in Melbourne, friendly drivers and great service.”

VTA chief executive David Samuel denied the negative reaction was a “social media fail of epic proportions”, but rather a way to start a conversation about the service with passengers.

“This was never about selling something, this is about starting a direct conversation with everyone who uses Victorian taxis. This is what we have achieved,” he said in a statement on Tuesday afternoon.

“The response online over the past 24 hours isn’t anything we didn’t expect. We asked for feedback and we got it. The good and the bad and everything in between.

“It also demonstrates the number of people that rely on taxi services and we want to make sure our service continues to meet customers’ expectations in a period of rapid change.

“We will respond to everything that comes our way on YourTaxis.”

In September, thousands of taxi drivers took to the streets across the country in their fight against Uber, The New Daily reported.

They were calling on the government to shut down the ride-sharing competitor, or regulate it to be on a level playing field as the taxi industry.

But University of Canberra director of the centre for labour market research, Phil Lewis, told The New Daily that consumers were migrating to the Uber service due to a “huge dissatisfaction” with taxi drivers and the industry.

Comments flooded the @yourtaxis Twitter account on Tuesday.

.@yourtaxis Driver visibly groping woman in cab as she screamed for help, bystanders had to surround cab & smash cab Window to free her

— Ben Clark (@scouse_roar) November 10, 2015

@yourtaxis #YourTaxis Had a taxi hit a median strip while turning onto a main road. Yeah no thanks… #uberisbest

— Connor Hendicott (@Cossa6) November 10, 2015

@yourtaxis being refused out of desperation tried uber and couldn’t be happier. Haven’t caught a taxi in a year and don’t plan to #YourTaxis — Daniel Reid (@DanielDReid) November 9, 2015

@yourtaxis @MattDumbill I’m afraid it’s too late. Your industry has been replaced.

— Billy Crazy (@BillyCrazy2) November 10, 2015

Was punched by a driver while trying to take down his details after he refused a short fare. #yourtaxis @yourtaxis

— mrkade (@mrkade) November 10, 2015

.@yourtaxis can’t grasp the reality of the situation. We just won’t cop rubbish service anymore. @Uber_Melbourne #melbourne #YourTaxis — Daniel Fisher (@DanielFisher) November 9, 2015

Getting tailgated and cut off by cabs every single time you go for a drive. #JustMelbourneThings #YourTaxis @yourtaxis — Kristin Winterfjord (@LornaViking) November 10, 2015

When I had to grab the wheel because my cab driver fell asleep 😚 #YourTaxis — Katja Bak (@katja_ghost) November 9, 2015

@yourtaxis Cab refusing to take me from CBD to St Kilda, walking distance apparently. Second can refused because I only had card. #YourTaxis

— Dee (@dedebimp) November 10, 2015

The VTA’s social media team was working in overdrive on Tuesday, responding to each and every post and apologising for some of the reported taxi driver behaviour.

Hi @Si1kIfY that sounds like an absolute shocker! Always keen to get details in these situations so we can follow up directly. — yourtaxis (@yourtaxis) November 10, 2015

Hi @dawnstarau Working hard to make sure all taxi drivers have a good understanding of the geography of Melbourne — yourtaxis (@yourtaxis) November 10, 2015

Hi @benschwarz, it’s good to be hearing this feedback, exactly why @yourtaxis is so important. — yourtaxis (@yourtaxis) November 10, 2015